Aidan had been sick the last few days and was prescribed antibiotics that supposedly tastes like cherries, but for some reason, he preferred to avoid it like The Plague. Thi tried giving him his first dose last night and Aidan fought it with all his might. Needless to say, after the dust settled, most of the medicine either ended up on the floor or on Thi.

This morning, it was my turn to give Aidan his medicine and I was determined to “persuade” him to “want” to take the medicine. I figured, Aidan is an intelligent and rationale kid. He should be able comprehend why he needed to take the medicine, right?

Attempt #1: “The discussion”
I sat down with Aidan and discussed why he needed the medicine. I asked him if he was uncomfortable and if he wanted to “fix” it. He looked me in the eye and sincerely said “yes”. I told him using a big happy face that the medicine will help him “fix” the cough and it tasted like cherries. I was sure I was getting through to him, but right when I took out the medecine, he started screaming like a banshee. After some more “discussing”, I could see that I was not getting anywhere.

Attempt #2: “The disguise”
After the failed discussions, I next resorted to disguising the medicine. I figured that if I can mask the taste of the medicine, he wouldn’t know that he was taking it. He drinks a glass of milk in mornings so I decided to hide it in there. Well, right after he took his first gulp, he immediately stared straight at me with a look of disgust on his face and proceeded to spit out whatever milk was left in his mouth. I didn’t think his taste buds were so sensitive.

Attempt #3: “The negotiation”
Maybe what he needed was a little give-and-take. I knew he liked granola bars so I proceeded to use it as leverage and negotiate with him. I told him that could have one bite of the granola bar first before taking the medicine and I would give him the rest right after. Of course, being the trusting father, I believed him when he said OK. Well, after the first bite, needless to say he wanted a second. Seeing that the negotiations were going nowhere, I decided it was time to move on.

Attempt #4: “The bribe”
Running out of options, I resorted to the one thing I really dislike to do, straight bribery. I really dislike bribing the kids, but I thought that if he gets what he wanted, I would get what I wanted. I proceeded to offer him the entire granola bar, some jello, fruits, and almost anything else relatively healthy that he loves, but to avail. This kid was not going to budge.

Attempt #5: “The hard way”
Everything else had failed. I was out of options, but I needed to get him to take his medicine. I had no other choice but to hold him down and try to navigate the spoon into his mouth. Not surprising, it was much harder than I had anticipated even with me holding him down. He screamed at the top of his lungs and bucked liked bronco. Right then though, I saw my chance. He had opened his mouth wide to prepare for his next scream and I quickly stuck the spoon into his mouth. Before he knew what was happening, he had swallowed the medicine. His face wrinkled up like a prune, but it was over. I gave him some water, the rest of his granola bar, and within minutes, he was back to normal. Success albeit having to employ some trickery and physical persuasion.

I learned at least one thing from this experience. No matter how rationale or intelligent we think our kids are, sometimes as parents, we just have to do it “the hard way” to get across to them.

The world we lived in is such a scary place. Gone are the days of riding your bike and coming home before dark for dinner. Nowadays, maybe it’s the internet or the media, something makes us feel we need to keep a close watch on our children at all times. They definitely will not have the same childhood as I did but I hope they have a happy one and that they get the opportunity to stay children for as long as possible. Kids also grow up too fast these days.

I use to work for a national media company and would read the most terrible things about our world. I know the media is skewed to produce this type of “news” but the fact is…it happened. All these horrible things happened for the reporters to report on. It’s not the world I thought I grew up in. Has the world changed or did my parents just do a great job of shielding me from it? I don’t know. And I guess it doesn’t matter. What matters is Mike and I figure out a way to make sure our children are safe, happy, confident, alert and aware.

Just reflecting today.

For Brooke’s class, I brought in Christmas tree sandwiches. Aidan’s class, we bought the plates, forks, napkins and thousand island dressing.

I got to sit and eat with Brooke then Mrs. Moreno did circle time. I got to watch her to her role call, sing the sings she tends to sing at home and dance and jump. It was so cute to see her following directions and participating. “We’ve gone a long way since we first set foot at this school, kiddo!”

Brooke and her teacher, Ms. Moreno

Aidan & Daddy during circle time

The kids had a great time! Brooke’s favorite was the apple tree wall. Aidan’s favorite was playing DJ for the stage, of course.

I forgot to pack snacks (due to the fact we were 30 minutes late to meet up with some friends) and they sell organic kid-friendly snacks and milk for just $1. Score!

The pictures don’t show it, but we went with the Wongs and a bunch of Leport kids/parents. We’re thinking about getting an annual pass since it’s $220 for a family of 4.

We have taken the kids to 3 different aquariums now (Maui Ocean Center, Sea Life are the other two) and this by far is the BEST one. And the closest to home!

Mom had a company picnic celebrating a clean year of safety for Arlon in Fountain Valley, CA and we were part of her entourage for the day. The company must be doing very well. We received free tickets, free parking and free food (free GOOD food) for the day. Ong Ba Ngoai also enjoyed the aquarium with their grandkids!

Looking at fish with Ong Ngoai

Enjoy delicious corn muffins they call ‘cupcakes’

First time in a jump house!

Peacemaker

Thi values close, personal relationships, and she will often put the needs and desires of those who are loyal friends ahead of her own needs. She is an even-paced individual who thrives in a peaceful, harmonious environment. Thi will work to avoid conflict and sudden changes in her lifestyle and finds joy in keeping tradition.

Systematic and detailed, Thi focuses on the process. Others see her as practical and logical. She tends to be sensitive to criticism, but prefers to internalize her emotions rather than expose them. Thi likes to clarify expectations before undertaking new projects, because she works hard to meet the standards that are set for her.

Thi prefers a rational and moderate approach when first entering new situations and tries to avoid extremes. She likes the company of others, but Thi is equally comfortable spending a quiet evening alone. She is a realist who will always weigh her options before she makes a decision to move ahead.

Because she cares about how others feel, Thi may feel uncomfortable making decisions that strongly affect others. She typically encourages others to be involved in the decision making process and prefers to work in a team role. Others tend to see Thi as agreeable and humble.

Her equally amazing cousin, Anne Eurose, one of my BFFs drove to Southern California with three kids (the oldest being 3 years old) to throw her a party. She really is super mom. She took care of her three kids, had time to go to Disneyland with us AND threw an amazing shower with some of the cutest personal touches I’ve ever seen! She even asked me to help w/ the cupcakes. It was fun and I’m always willing to go eat some delicious Filipino food!

Cute diaper cake Eurose made.